All I can say, Ken, is that in the UK, if you want to get dead very quickly, wave any sort of gun around on the street and the Police will happily oblige. You'll be given one opportunity to put the weapon down and if you don't comply immediately, you will be shot and the Police don't shoot to wound.
That's true here too, which is why we don't wave our guns around. Most of us don't actually carry ours but some do, so a guy who is thinking about robbing a restaurant or convenience store always has to realize that he may not be the only one in the building with a gun. Likewise, someone thinking of breaking into someone's house at night can be pretty sure that his won't be the only gun. Therefore, few people ever have to use one.
Well, it seems like high populated areas, high traffic and high crime equals areas with nice salaries. We have our share of gun violence, just as Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago and other high populated cities do. As for us, we have never lived, since we’ve been married, in such a high crime area as we are now. And, this is one reason we want to move back to a much lower population. A lot of people here have a concealed gun on their person or one their vehicle. The area we want to live, people don’t have to worry so much that they feel the need to carry. The crime is much, much lower there.
@Jeff Fogey "I'm not going to get into a discussion about the merits of a gun toting society, Ken. That's been done to death." But you did, and I like it! I'll try my best to "keep my nose clean" (wonder if that old one is decipherable in UK?), but will come out up front that we are in old "Frank territory". I have lived in both the extreme areas as far as gun control is concerned: born and raised outside of Chicago, which had very strict laws prohibiting ownership of handguns since early in the last century, and 25+ years in "Wild West" Arizona, which has surprisingly few gun restrictions at the State level, but plenty in some large municipalities, namely Mesa, for one. Almost every acquaintance of mine in Chicago during my 30 years there possessed a handgun! Illegally. You had to "know" a person well, to find this out about him, however. I grew up in the suburb of Berwyn, second town west of Chicago after Cicero, previous home of Al Capone. Likely need not say more about Mr. Capone. Chicago, renowned for it's lawlessness from the "Roaring Twenties", continued on, and still continues, to suffer high crime rates, despite every imaginable kind of law being passed, both related to firearms, and otherwise. A very serious reason for this was well-known to most everyone: graft found at every level of government. Chicago, in the heart of Cook County, was universally-known for it's corrupt police: a driver pulled over for minor traffic violation, if a "local", thus "in the know", placed a bill of currency where the cop could see it after the usual entry-conversation. For an improper turn, for example, a Ten would usually suffice. You bought a "pass". Not to say every cop was on the "take", but, every cop who cared to keep his job either followed along, whether accepting money or not. I am not making this up. Ask any former Chicagoan. Sorry you "got me started". Frank
@Jeff Fogey Forgive me, please, while getting carried away, I neglected to mention, welcome to the forum, and be assured we discuss things of non-controversial nature, too! Me, being a natural trouble-maker, I kind of shy away from answering some of the discussions, but generally read all of them! Frank
I have been lurking on here and please let me put my 2 cents worth in.. I live in Massey, Ontario with a population of just under 1000 people.. WE HVE NO CRIME TO SPEAK OF HERE... Most of the time, I don't even lock my car.. Many of us still have the very bad habit of even leaving the keys in the ignition of our vehicles, but I don't go that far... No house break-ins at all.. No thefts at all.. We do have some kids that get a kick out of causing some graffiti, but there again it is on a wall on the outskirts of town that nobody cares about anyway.. As far as guns goes, almost everyone here goes hunting and they have several guns.. mostly rifles.. During the hunting season, we have lots of chaps that ride their 4 wheelers through town with their rifles in the holster on the 4 wheeler.. That is a common site and nobody thinks twice about it..
I’ve been in towns just like this in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado. But, as already stated, these towns don’t have or offer the job salaries that a lot of young single and married couples of today require. There are young singles and married couples, w/or w/o kids, that can handle the lower (much lower) salaries, but those folks lifestyle isn’t the same as ones with nice/high salaries.
I agree with you Cody.. There are not very many jobs in a small town, however in our case, there are not very many unemployed in our village either.. Yes we have some, but somehow a part time job is always available is one of our shops here.. I was thinking that about 80% of the population here in Massey have a gun if not many guns for hunting.. My wife told me that Massey is definitely a hockey town and we have more guns than hockey sticks.. In the 12 years we are living here, we have NEVER heard of any problems with folks shooting illegally, however I must say we had some Black Bears that were considered nuisance bears and they were put down awfully quick.. We don't have any street people.. Folks that are homeless either.. Just a great little place to live if you don't mind living up north..
The gun violence just keeps on going here. Yesterday, Saturday, four different shootings and three dead. One happened in the middle of the day and the others in the middle of the night. I just don't get it. People are still moving here and, in a relocation forum I'm in, nobody is asking how the crime is here. They want more to move away from "Old Man Winter" rather than ask or think about all the crime/shootings that happen here. Yes, the salaries also draw people here. I know there is major gang and drug crime here and doesn't seem like law enforcement can do a thing about it. There was crime when we moved here, but not like now!!
The population where we live is around hundred thousand...but that includes other towns connected. For the most part crime rate is not too bad. But...last week just 3 miles from us a possible mass shooting was stopped by an anonymous caller! Some dude all bent outof shape as another man stole his wife few years back. He was on foot going from one business to another asking questions about the guy he planned to shoot. Once he was stopped and arrested police found too many guns in trunk of his car. So police think he very well may have done more damage if wanted to. Whew..so glad for that anonymous caller !
Since we’ve been married, we have never lived in a city that has gun violence like here. It’s just unbelievable!!
@Cody Fousnaugh Florida has fairly relaxed firearms laws, if I remember correctly. Nonetheless, I believe it is not the state having the most gun-related violence, that having often been in one of the states having strictest gun laws. Miami had the most homicides, gun-related and otherwise, years back. How or if that changed, I dunno. Detroit once led the nation amongst cities. Today, Chicago may be near the top of the list, despite hundreds of gun laws on their books. It seems more related to city size, than strictness of laws, which to me is no surprise. Frank
Actually, Frank, we only care about the continuing crime in the city we are currently living in. We know about the crime/gun violence in other cities, but we live here. Thing is, people here, that don’t live in the crime ridden areas of this city, don’t care about what happens in those areas. As already stated, nobody who is making plans on moving to this city, is even curious about how the crime is here. They just seem not to care.
BULLETIN ..... and...... Breaking NEWS !!! The old man Thompson was driving his Case 390 in town and he accidently went through a stop sign... He is 92 years old and he still drives, works the field, and is extremely active... That is just about the only crime we have around here..... By the way, he doesn't have a license on the tractor.... ANOTHER CRIME......